Yes the Soviet wanted a low profile tank but the main issue is that they wanted to cut crews from 4 to 3 by using an autoloader to save the dwindling...
I'm a big fan of this yellow journalism, screaming, pro-wrestling-type, tear-your-hat-off-and-laugh-into-the-empty-hole-type press. And I think what's happened is the fellows up at 5150 have started to take that stuff a little seriously.